Microsoft's answer to Apple's "Smart Cover" includes keyboards and trackpads.

Yes, Microsoft unveiled the hyper-rumored tablet during its Monday announcement. But the surprises came when the company continued to showcase new hardware in the form of two accompanying tablet covers: the Type and the Touch.

Microsoft's Touch Cover for the Surface tablets is 3mm thick and comes in four available colors: cyan, orange, magenta, and gray. The real trick is that it doubles as a keyboard and trackpad, both on the inside of the cover. The Surface tablet can recognize when the cover is attached, and users can't miss when trying to connect through its use of magnets.

The cover comes with an accelerometer, so it can measure the force of each finger. This allows users to both rest hands on the computer and type, with the hardware distinguishing between the actions. Microsoft claimed typing is twice as efficient here as opposed to glass, and that the keyboard samples 10x faster than any actual keyboard. The Surface OS can also recognize when it's folded behind the back of the tablet (indicating the keyboard should be switched off). Microsoft touted 30 years of mouse technology and 15 years of keyboards went into this design.

For users who are uncomfortable with virtual keys, there's the Type Cover. It connects to the Surface in the same way, but provides a tactile keyboard with touchpad.

For details from the full announcement, revisit the Ars liveblog (just wrapped up). We'll also be updating this story with more details.

I type about 100-150wpm on a regular keyboard and not once have I ever noticed it not "sampling" quickly enough. So... this is about the sample rate of a touch based keyboard? Seriously? This is a big selling point?

Uh. What?

I'm going to hazard a guess that if you're that serious about typing on a device like this, you're going to go straight for the actual keyboard and not a touch sensitive one with limited (any?) feed back.

I type about 100-150wpm on a regular keyboard and not once have I ever noticed it not "sampling" quickly enough. So... this is about the sample rate of a touch based keyboard? Seriously? This is a big selling point?

Uh. What?

I'm going to hazard a guess that if you're that serious about typing on a device like this, you're going to go straight for the actual keyboard and not a touch sensitive one with limited (any?) feed back.

Why don't you think about the tech involved before making yourself look silly? Seriously.

Quote:

The cover comes with an accelerometer, so it can measure the force of each finger. This allows the users to both rest hands on the computer and type with the hardware distinguishing between the actions. Microsoft claimed typing is twice as efficient here as opposed to glass, and that the keyboard samples 10x faster than any actual keyboard

A keyboard with an accelerometer to measure finger force, distinguish betoween palm rest and finger pecks, and being a virtual touch keyboard require a much higher sampling rate to be accurate. So perhaps 10x makes it *as* accurate as a traditional keyboard. The point they are making is it does what it needs to do to work as it should.

There are two different models here, "Type cover" and "touch cover". The "type cover" has tactile keys and is probably something like existing products like the Logitech keyboard case for iPad that's linked in this comments thread. The "touch cover" is not at all like that.

I'd want to try them before forming a verdict on what works best. I can believe that the touch cover might be somewhat better to type on than the multitouch screen itself (plus it doesn't eat screen space the way the onscreen keyboard does). I can believe that the one with physically separate tactile keys is better for touch typists. But it might not turn out that way at all. I tried a few different iPad keyboard cases (not the Logitech one) and came to the conclusion that the size was inherently too limiting; no keyboard that size would feel right to type on, no keyboard that size was enough better than the onscreen keyboard to be worth carrying something else (even if integrated into the case), and if I am going to bother carrying a separate keyboard, it had better be markedly better to type on.

Again, this was my past experience with a few different iPad-intended keyboards, and I ended up getting a larger Logitech bluetooth keyboard, then usually not carrying it and just dealing with the onscreen keyboard. Maybe these are going to be better, and as I said, I'd want to try them myself before reaching any conclusions.

A keyboard with an accelerometer to measure finger force, distinguish between palm rest and finger pecks, and being a virtual touch keyboard require a much higher sampling rate to be accurate. So perhaps 10x makes it *as* accurate as a traditional keyboard. The point they are making is it does what it needs to do to work as it should.

That is an open issue, till the press has some in hand. Not only is feedback important. Finger fatigue is as well.

So perhaps 10x makes it *as* accurate as a traditional keyboard. The point they are making is it does what it needs to do to work as it should.

I don't think the accuracy of the keyboard itself is at question here. Even the onscreen keyboard on a 3.5" phone screen is accurate (if you can accurately hit the tiny keys quickly). What matters to a touch typist is how it feels. It's pretty clear that a single flat surface which doesn't move isn't going to feel the same as a keyboard with moving keys. Can it read input accurately? Sure. Can you type quickly and accurately on it? Probably/hopefully/maybe. Can you type as quickly and accurately as on a same-sized keyboard with full key travel? I'm skeptical.

But as in my other post, I'd want to try it for myself before saying anything conclusive on whether it works or not. Impossible to tell from promo claims and videos.

I presume the Touch variant doesn't give you any direct feedback at all -- just whatever's onscreen. Right? It's like the onscreen keyboard, except they've separated the input and output surfaces. (So unless they dedicate part of the screen to some kind of keyboard area, you'd get less visual feedback than you do from the onscreen keyboard!)

I'm really impressed by this, I get by with typing on glass just fine but if the iPad smart cover included it for zero extra weight and battery cost I'd be very, very happy to have it. Still, I don't typically use the tablet at a desk, it is more of a walking/reclining kind of tool.

I'm liking Microsoft more and more these days - they're not just copying any more, they're actually innovating and I don't know when I last thought that.

I'm sorry, but you guys trying to pass it off that they "innovated" is hilarious. They even recycled the name of one of their own products. The "touch sensitive keys" are a ridiculous "feature" to say the Logitech one doesn't have.. as the Logitech one actually has keys (No need to distinguish between an accidental press or palm rest).

Same as the fact that it's 8mm vs 3mm... that's 5mm. that is 1/5th of an inch. or 0.0000031 miles. Such a really really small difference between the 2.

Plus, you fail to realize the other downfall of this "tablet/keyboard". It's a Windows Tablet. Albeit the ONE place Windows 8's UI works... but it works so well that they needed to have a trackpad/KB attachment for their tablet.

I type about 100-150wpm on a regular keyboard and not once have I ever noticed it not "sampling" quickly enough. So... this is about the sample rate of a touch based keyboard? Seriously? This is a big selling point?

Uh. What?

I'm going to hazard a guess that if you're that serious about typing on a device like this, you're going to go straight for the actual keyboard and not a touch sensitive one with limited (any?) feed back.

Why don't you think about the tech involved before making yourself look silly? Seriously.

Right, and talking about keyboard sampling rates is going to be clear to a consumer... how exactly? The line of thinking you followed up with?

kleinma wrote:

someone wrote:

The cover comes with an accelerometer, so it can measure the force of each finger. This allows the users to both rest hands on the computer and type with the hardware distinguishing between the actions. Microsoft claimed typing is twice as efficient here as opposed to glass, and that the keyboard samples 10x faster than any actual keyboard

A keyboard with an accelerometer to measure finger force, distinguish betoween palm rest and finger pecks, and being a virtual touch keyboard require a much higher sampling rate to be accurate. So perhaps 10x makes it *as* accurate as a traditional keyboard. The point they are making is it does what it needs to do to work as it should.

Yes, based on this, I can totally see how I made myself look silly. No doubt about it. Silly. Yup.

Silly. Nothing says accurate as a traditional keyboard as a 10x sampling rate.

metamatt wrote:

I don't think the accuracy of the keyboard itself is at question here. Even the onscreen keyboard on a 3.5" phone screen is accurate (if you can accurately hit the tiny keys quickly). What matters to a touch typist is how it feels. It's pretty clear that a single flat surface which doesn't move isn't going to feel the same as a keyboard with moving keys. Can it read input accurately? Sure. Can you type quickly and accurately on it? Probably/hopefully/maybe. Can you type as quickly and accurately as on a same-sized keyboard with full key travel? I'm skeptical.

this++, and the extra bit about holding opinion back until actual units are in the field++.

Isn't there a report button somewhere? Obvious troll is obvious, and apparently personally rather upset. You'd think the cover went and smacked his mom in the face or something...

I personally think it's a pretty awesome development & feature, and the fact it's there means a lot about the UI. Keyboard attached = no on screen keyboard displayed, which is a pretty handy feature to have.

I'm curious about usage while propped up in bed or the like.

Def getting the cyan color *drool*

Looking forward to hear how the 'feel' of the keyboard is. I've got the arc keyboard and absolutely love it, so I've got faith the design here should be pretty decent.

So to use this keyboard touchpad, you have to put it down and use it like a traditional laptop. Basically an ultralight version of a Moto lapdock. It serves some purpose for some sonsumers, I am sure, but I always thought the purpose of a tablet was to use it as a tablet. Having to put it down is kinda a bummer. On the other hand, more choices are always good. Just don't see it as a huge breakthrough.

So to use this keyboard touchpad, you have to put it down and use it like a traditional laptop. Basically an ultralight version of a Moto lapdock. It serves some purpose for some sonsumers, I am sure, but I always thought the purpose of a tablet was to use it as a tablet. Having to put it down is kinda a bummer. On the other hand, more choices are always good. Just don't see it as a huge breakthrough.

But what makes you think there isn't an onscreen option when there's no keyboard attached/enabled?

Isn't there a report button somewhere? Obvious troll is obvious, and apparently personally rather upset. You'd think the cover went and smacked his mom in the face or something...

I personally think it's a pretty awesome development & feature, and the fact it's there means a lot about the UI. Keyboard attached = no on screen keyboard displayed, which is a pretty handy feature to have.

I'm curious about usage while propped up in bed or the like.

Def getting the cyan color *drool*

Looking forward to hear how the 'feel' of the keyboard is. I've got the arc keyboard and absolutely love it, so I've got faith the design here should be pretty decent.

H2O Rip: To report a post to the admins, click on or hover over the "5 minutes ago" text in the upper right of a post - that will give you the permalink to the comment post. Then send an email to mods@arstechnica.com with that link (I usually include in the subject why I'm reporting the comment.) They're very responsive to abuse reports, I usually get an email back from them thanking me for reporting spam and other posts that violate their forum posting rules.

I type about 100-150wpm on a regular keyboard and not once have I ever noticed it not "sampling" quickly enough. So... this is about the sample rate of a touch based keyboard? Seriously? This is a big selling point?

Uh. What?

I'm going to hazard a guess that if you're that serious about typing on a device like this, you're going to go straight for the actual keyboard and not a touch sensitive one with limited (any?) feed back.

Go with a actual PS2 keyboard and there'll be no shitty polling! Show the CPU who's boss by interrupting it!

I'm not taking sides as a Microsoft or Apple fan. But usually when Apple has a big secretive announcement they are close too or have a product ready. Microsoft just sounds like their afraid they are late to the tablet market and are just saying "Don't forget about us". We will have a tablet someday and here it is. We just don't know what it will cost, or when it will be available. We have some hardware specs but important things like battery life and performance are just vague at this point. Thanks Microsoft.

I'm actually quite impressed with this. With the Windows pro version, you get a very capable CPU, decent amount of storage and a pretty good display, and essential expansion ports, all under 1 Kg. With the touch keyboard, this can actually be a killer combo and can give the netbooks and cheaper ultrabooks a good run for their money.

Typing this on an iPad 3 which is not easy. Wait, I grabbed the Apple BT keyboard, turned it on, connected, blah, blah and now am using that.

While the hate against MS is not surprising, how about giving them a chance? As a long-time scorner of MS myself I will say their hardware I've bought--a wireless keyboard and mouse--is surprisingly superior. Windows 7 is finally stable, pretty much. Tried Win 8 briefly and at least it has tiling windows on a tablet, unlike Apple's iOS which is becoming more and more tired on a tablet. No tiled windows, truly mediocre browsers, 1st-grade background tasking, etc.

If MS can make a fairly decent tablet I'm in for one. I'm pretty sure I'll never get an iPad again.

Plus, you fail to realize the other downfall of this "tablet/keyboard". It's a Windows Tablet. Albeit the ONE place Windows 8's UI works... but it works so well that they needed to have a trackpad/KB attachment for their tablet.

Yeah, that is so totally retarded to think that someone would want the ability to use a tablet with and without a keyboard. I mean really if that were the case Apple would have built a detachable keyboard cover for the iPad rather than having third parties design and sell them like hotcakes.

Wait I suppose maybe someone that's using Office RT on a Windows RT surface might just find a keyboard and trackpad useful. Of course they could always skip it and just the use the excellent handwriting recognition and stylus to act as both a pointing device AND a text input device. Or not because iOS and Android don't really support that so it is also a horrible idea.

Sarcasm OFF.

No one realized they "needed" an iPad until Apple created demand. Same goes for the Surface tablet, except people already know how they'd use it. It's kind of like an iPad that you can actually both consume AND produce content.

I might buy the very thin keyboard cover if they (or someone else) makes it for the iPad. It sounds nice. But the rest of the tablet is too little too late. The iPad has the momentum and ecosystem, and MS will be competing with third or fourth generation hardware, depending on when their product ships.

I might buy the very thin keyboard cover if they (or someone else) makes it for the iPad. It sounds nice. But the rest of the tablet is too little too late. The iPad has the momentum and ecosystem, and MS will be competing with third or fourth generation hardware, depending on when their product ships.

It's shipping with Tegra, rumored to be the Tegra 3. Which, seeing as how it hasn't been released yet, couldn't possibly be considered to be even 2nd generation. What hardware are you talking about being 4th generation?

Plus, you fail to realize the other downfall of this "tablet/keyboard". It's a Windows Tablet. Albeit the ONE place Windows 8's UI works... but it works so well that they needed to have a trackpad/KB attachment for their tablet.

Yeah, that is so totally retarded to think that someone would want the ability to use a tablet with and without a keyboard. I mean really if that were the case Apple would have built a detachable keyboard cover for the iPad rather than having third parties design and sell them like hotcakes.

Wait I suppose maybe someone that's using Office RT on a Windows RT surface might just find a keyboard and trackpad useful. Of course they could always skip it and just the use the excellent handwriting recognition and stylus to act as both a pointing device AND a text input device. Or not because iOS and Android don't really support that so it is also a horrible idea.

Sarcasm OFF.

No one realized they "needed" an iPad until Apple created demand. Same goes for the Surface tablet, except people already know how they'd use it. It's kind of like an iPad that you can actually both consume AND produce content.

I have the first generation Asus Transformer Android tablet with the keyboard dock, which this sort of resembles. The physical keyboard really helps when you want to type a lot of text, but I almost never use the trackpad - instead I use the keyboard for typing and the touchscreen for navigation. So I definitely see the usefulness of this, especially for the Windows 8 Pro version where you may be using classic non-Metro apps which will work better with a pointing device. But when you're using a Metro app, just fold up the keyboard out of the way and use the touchscreen. As others have said, it's all going to depend on how well these keyboards work in the real world, but there's definitely something to be said for a keyboard that is specifically designed to work with a specific tablet. You don't have to worry about incompatibilities, etc.

I just wonder how these keyboards get their power, especially the one with the physical keys. Is there a physical connector, or do they have their own battery source. Do they connect using bluetooth, or a physical connector? A couple nice things about the Asus Transformer keyboard is that it uses a physical dock connector, and the keyboard itself is an extended battery - so not only does it NOT suck down your battery by using Bluetooth, but it actually extends the life of the tablet when you use it.

I'm definitely a bit excited by this - I work for a medical clinic where our electronic medical chart program is Windows-only. Using an iPad or Android tablet works (using the Citrix receiver apps for iOS and Android), but not seamlessly enough for us to deploy them as officially supported. Our physicians have Windows 7 convertible tablets, but hardly anyone bothers to convert them to tablet form. But they complain about the weight, and I don't blame them, they weigh about 3 lbs. If we could use the Win 8 Pro version, they'd have full Windows so we could run all our normal apps, light weight, and an actual keyboard for when they need it. I can see us buying one of these to test it out.

Sigh.. and at yet another site, the Apple fanboiz try to snark and pretend that Apple woulda thunk this up first and better, despite the fact that Apple waits for others to develope usefull tech then adds pretty bling to fool people into thinking it is more useful. Hint: I had a portable MP3 player LONG before the "iPud" err.. iPod, and not only did it hold much more music than the iPods of the day (and for years after... 18 GB to be exact), it played many more music formats, and could be used as a portable hard drive, and cost about the same price.

after that one died out, i bought another player that supported more formats, AND video, and could be used as a portable HD... for the same price as the current iPud.

A couple of years ago, my youngest niece paid for an iMuck that had lower Specs than the Windows PC I had bought 2 years before for 50% less, and no where near the software.

I can't WAIT to see the MacFans spin this into a Apple leades the way in design thing.

I dig it. I have a bluetooth keyboard for my tablet, but it is honestly annoying that it doesn't physically connect to the tablet. I would use it more if it did. Not all the time, but certainly enough to justify buying it (I use the regular bluetooth one that much already). And I like the magnetic attachment. Magnets are a good solution that is underused. Possibly because we used to use magnetic media.

Personally I want a decent keyfeel, so I doubt I would care for the Touch version. The Type version sounds better, even if it is thicker.

Onscreen keyboard is convenient when you only have to type a couple things, but it always bugs me how much of the screen it covers up and it's certainly slower than a physical keyboard.

Same as the fact that it's 8mm vs 3mm... that's 5mm. that is 1/5th of an inch. or 0.0000031 miles. Such a really really small difference between the 2.

I deal with this kind of stuff daily and this might as well be a mile, comparing 3mm & 8mm. Make your iphone 1/5" bigger and you'll notice the difference instantly.

dawesdust_12 wrote:

The only company that is doing worse than Microsoft at innovating is RIM.

Seriously?

I'm excited that this might take the 'Tablet Cold War' to a new level. What's there not to like about better products for us (consumers) at better pricing while the big Co's battle it out trying to out-do one another in competition. Isn't capitalism great!

The Apple/Microsoft bile is building up, with a bunch of people on each side going way too far in their attacks.

The fun thing about that is this: where's Google in all this? I love tech, and own multiple devices running from each of the big three, but...yeah, I can't say that any Google tablet has given me any amount of sheer geek lust that this did. I'll probably end up buying a tablet some time next year. As much as I was hoping for a courier redux...this is actually the only product I've seen that could convince me to possibly buy something other than an iPad. Not saying I will...but I actually have something to compare it to now. As much as I like Android, I couldn't see myself turning to it for a full-on tablet.

I'm sorry, but you guys trying to pass it off that they "innovated" is hilarious. They even recycled the name of one of their own products. The "touch sensitive keys" are a ridiculous "feature" to say the Logitech one doesn't have.. as the Logitech one actually has keys (No need to distinguish between an accidental press or palm rest).

Same as the fact that it's 8mm vs 3mm... that's 5mm. that is 1/5th of an inch. or 0.0000031 miles. Such a really really small difference between the 2.

Plus, you fail to realize the other downfall of this "tablet/keyboard". It's a Windows Tablet. Albeit the ONE place Windows 8's UI works... but it works so well that they needed to have a trackpad/KB attachment for their tablet.

I might buy the very thin keyboard cover if they (or someone else) makes it for the iPad. It sounds nice. But the rest of the tablet is too little too late. The iPad has the momentum and ecosystem, and MS will be competing with third or fourth generation hardware, depending on when their product ships.

It's shipping with Tegra, rumored to be the Tegra 3. Which, seeing as how it hasn't been released yet, couldn't possibly be considered to be even 2nd generation. What hardware are you talking about being 4th generation?

Not to mention that Windows has the biggest "ecosystem" of any O/S in the entire world. The enterprise is cheering right now, as they just realized that they do not have to re-code all of their legacy programs to iOS because their executives want to work from the train.